Dividing bar



Aug. 23,1938. s. c. AwBRE-.Y

DIVIDING BAR led Jan. 18, 1937 Z w@ w f a /f 5. a l am e J Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED ASTATES PATENT NOFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to dividing bars and particularly to a dividing bar suitable for use 'in oors made of plastic material such as terrazzo, cement, etc. for preventing objectionable cracking of the floor, and also for producing novel and ornamental floor designs.

Terrazzo, stucco, and similarv floors usually comprise a base or floor slab, a cement screed, and a surface or finishing layer. It is desired to prevent objectionable cracking in the upper layers by localizing cracks within a given zone by the use of dividing strips which are embedded in the floor and extend to the surface thereof. y The dividing bar also serves to divide the upper portion of the floor structure into predetermined patterns which adds tothe appearance of the oor.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a binding bar made of` a strip of sheet metal having parallel, unbroken, opposed edges, and being lformed at its center p0rtion to present a continuous rib with spaced apart enlargements, perforated to present anchoring openings whereby the strip is secured in the operative position. Y v, j p Another objectof the present invention is the provision of a binding bar with a rib formed throughout its length and terminating in a plane parallel with the major planeof the strip,`whereby the major thickness of the strip is uniform throughout its length,

Another object of this invention is the provision of a dividing bar having uninterrupted, parallel, straight edges, and offset `at its center portion to present a longitudinal rib of irregular form, with spaced apart openings, whereby the bar will naturally take the form of a circular arc when forced from its planar shape.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a terrazzo floor, partly broken away to disclose a binding bar embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of one of the binding bars.

Fig. 3 is a top edge view of the binding bar shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, cross sectional view of the bar, taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2, and positioned; in a floor structure.

- Fig. 5 is an enlarged, vertical, cross sectional View, taken on line V--V of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the bar, showing its natural form when one end thereof is secured and the other end is subjected to a side pressure.

Fig, '7 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the binding bar, wherein the enlarged portion of the rib and its associated opening is substantially circular.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional View, taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7, and,

Fig 9 is a fragmentary view, showing the joining of the dividing bars. j

Throughout the several views, like characters designate similar parts, and the numeral l0 indicates a typical terrazzo floor, having a series of panels I2, separated by dividing bars I4.

In the construction of the floor, the base I6 is first formed with a substantially planar surface and permitted to harden, then the cement screed A I8 of uniform thickness is laid. While this screed layer is still sufliciently soft, the dividing bars I4 are forced to position so as to rest on the base with its upper half extending above the surface of the screed, or so that it is substantially half embedded in the screed, as shown. The screed is then permitted to harden.

The design as shown in Fig. 1 is a group of rectangular panels, each panel being completely surrounded by binding bars. These rectangular panels may be formed by placing a series of the long bars 2U in parallel relation and then setting short bars 22 between the adjacent long bars to produce the desired result. One end of the short bar may be cut at a right angle to the major axes of the bar, while the opposite end will necessarily be cut irregularly to permit the top portion thereof to contact the'long bar above the rib and to clear the lower rib as it is moved to position in the green cement screed. When the screed I8 is thoroughly hardened, the terrazzo coating 24 is then placed and permitted to harden, after which it is surface ground.

The dividing bar I4 consists of a single strip of sheet or ribbon metal, having uninterrupted, parallel, straight edges I5, and being offset along its longitudinal central portion to form a longitudinal rib 26 on one side of the bar and a groove 28 in the other side thereof. At spaced-apart intervals the width of the rib 26 is enlarged as at 30, thereby making it possible to form openings 32 through the crest of the rib to serve as anchorin g means for the cementitious material.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the j outer extremity of the rib 26 is disposed in a plane parallel with the major plane of the bar, thus making it possible to make uniform cutting of the irregular cut end 34 of the short cross bars, While the other end thereof is cut perpendicular to the major axes of the bar as shown at 36. Referring to Fig. 9, it will be noticed that the irregular end 34 of the abutting bar rests against the upper surface of the longitudinal bar, while the offset portion thereof rests against the rib to maintain the transverse bar in the vertical position. This will hold true regardless of the position of 34 along the transverse bar, since at all points the rib lies in a plane parallel with the major plane of the strip. Also, 34 might be diagonally or otherwise cut, leaving only the upper portion of the bar end at a right angle to the straight edges.

The inclined walls 38 of the enlarged portion of the rib are of such proportion and shape that the strength of the bar to resist transverse movement is substantially the same as that of the portion of the bar intermediate the openings 32, thereby making it possible to exert transverse pressure against one end of the bar when the other end is securely held to cause the bar to take the form of the arc of a circle. This feature of construction makes it possible to definitely and uniformly form arcuate strips of any desired curvature, thereby lending to the usefulness of the bar in forming decorative designs. Heretofore bars made of uniform width with openings formed therethrough at intervals, have had the tendency to bend easier at the openings, thereby forming an irregular curve when the bar is subjected to a sufficient bending strain. lThis objectionable feature is overcome in the present bar.

t is apparent that with the present bar many different designs might be produced by cutting it to proper lengths and by binding it transversely to the desired shape.

In the modified form, the shape of the rib enlargement andthe hole formed therethrough is made substantially circular in form, however, this bar has substantially the same features as set forth in the preferred form.

This bar is well anchored in the screed I8 and also in the top floor layer 24 when placed as clearly shown in Fig. 1 with the dividing line of these two layers centered in the offset portion of the bar. Also, the materials of both layers Will be bound together through the openings 30. Rib 26 also serves as a gauge to determine the depth to which the bar is to be inserted.

This bar is substantially symmetrical above and below the longitudinal center line, and for that reason may be reversed to use either of the straight edges at the surface of the floor.

When positioning the bar in the floor material, it is essential that it remain in a straight line or a set curved form, and this is accomplished by the formation of the bar as described above. In other words, it is sufliciently rigid to allow for the usual handling without any material distortion.

What I claim is:

1. A dividing bar for terrazzo and like oors comprising a sheet metal bar of uniform width, having uninterrupted, parallel, straight edges; said bar being formed to present a centrally disposed longitudinal rib at one of its sides and a corresponding longitudinal groove in the other side thereof, said rib having enlargements at equally spaced-apart intervals, provided with openings whereby the floor material may extend therethrough, said rib being so formed and reinforced throughout its entire length as to present uniform resistance to a binding force, whereby the bar will naturally take a regular arcuate form when bowed transversely.

2. A dividing bar for terrazzo and like floors comprising a sheet metal bar of uniform width, having uninterrupted, parallel, straight edges; a centrally disposed longitudinal rib formed on one side of said bar having spaced-apart enlargements, each enlargement having an opening formed therethrough, said rib terminating throughout itsI length in a plane parallel with the major plane of the dividing strip, said bar being so formed throughout its entire length as to present uniform resistance at all points thereof to a 0 lateral bending force, whereby the bar will take a substantially arcuate form when a bending force is applied to its opposite ends.

3. A dividing bar for terrazzo and like floors comprising a sheet metal bar of uniform Width, having uninterrupted, parallel, straight edges; a centrally disposed longitudinal rib formed on one side of said bar having spaced-apart enlargements, each enlargement having an opening formed therethrough, said rib terminating throughout its length in a plane parallel with the major plane of the dividing strip, said bar being substantially symmetrical above and below its major axes whereby it is reversible.

4. A dividing bar for terrazzo and similar fioors comprising a sheet metal bar of uniform Width having uninterrupted, parallel, straight edges; said bar being centrally offset to form a longitudinal rib at one side of said bar and a longitudinal groove at the other side thereof; a series of spaced-apart enlargements in said rib and groove, each of said enlargements having an opening formed therethrough to serve as anchoring means for the bar, said bar being formed to present a bar having a uniform resistance throughout its length to a transverse bending movement.

SAMUEL C. AWBREY. 

